Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Our rescue dog journey

This is the journey we took to rescue a puppy from TN. He was left in a box with 10 other puppies on someone's front lawn in TN. There are so many dogs and mostly puppies on death row in the south due to over population. Never in a million years did we think we would do this but once we saw his picture and learned more about rescue we knew this was for us.

We worked with a local rescue organization called Golden Hugs Rescue who pays a pull fee to get the dogs out of the shelter and into foster care in order to be adopted. They then have a special transport team truck the adopted dogs up North a few times a month.

We left for NH on Friday night. We stayed at my sisters house because she lives close to where our pick up location was. On Saturday we headed to the location at 1:00. The truck was supposed to be there around 1:30 but there was an accident on the highway so it didn't arrive until 3:00. My parents met us there so we at least got to visit with them while we waited. When we got to our pick up location there were about 50 other families waiting to meet their new pets. It was amazing to see so many people waiting and wondering just as we were. Finally the truck arrived. This big truck pulled up with barking dogs who had been driving since TN. The scene was amazing. Our first meeting with Winston (now Zimo) was everything we hoped. He is adjusting well and settling into his new home. He is a doll and it feels great to have saved him.

Zimo slept all the way home from NH. He was amazing. After spending the night in the truck from TN he quietly took another 3 hour drive back to VT. Once home he had some play time in the back yard and a tour of the house but it was late so we had to get the kids to bed. He immediately got into his crate and has had no problems using it since. Amazingly enough he slept through the night. We had him in the crate in our room and we heard not a peep until 4:30 this morning. We took him outside and then back in his crate when we then slept until 7:00. The boys were delighted to see hit loves to play ball. He seems to know some basic commands fairly well. He sits pretty well on command and fetches and drops the ball. He has clearly decided I am his Alpha Mama and follows me everywhere I go. We are exhausted but so happy.

About

I'm a mother, artist, and web analyst who loves music, poetry, indie craft, local food, natural parenting, reading, making jewelry, photography, snowboarding, and anything Sicilian. I have not and will not let go of my creativity or individuality. I am me. Trying to find myself on a daily basis.